Memorial held for Jersey City boxer Arturo Gatti

Jersey City boxer Arturo Gatti training in Vero Beach, Fla. four years ago.

Sofia Bella Gatti, the 3-year-old daughter of slain former champion boxer Arturo Gatti, reduced a Jersey City church full of mourners yesterday to tears when she sang at her father's memorial service earlier today at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, a few blocks from where the pugilist lived as a young man.

While she dangled in the arms of her mother, Sofia suddenly grabbed at the podium's microphone. After one faulty start, she made it all the way through the alphabet song, in a voice that was loud and clear."My daddy is in the clouds," Sofia told the gathering. "I want to sing with him."

Sofia, Gatti's daughter with his former fiancee, was applauded by about 100 of her father's relatives, friends and fellow boxers. In the front pew, Gatti's older brother, Joe, wept.

They had gathered days after a Monday morning funeral service in Montreal's "Little Italy" to honor the 37-year-old boxer, found dead July 11 at a Brazilian resort, for a second time in his adopted city. While Gatti eventually settled in Montreal with his wife and 10-month-old son, he lived and trained in Jersey City for many of his early ring-battles.

Arturo "Thunder" Gatti, who boasted a 40-9 record in his 16-year career and held two world titles and 31 knockouts before retiring in 2007, shared many rough-and-tumble traits with his city, Mayor Jerramiah Healy said at today's service in Jersey City Heights.

"His spirit in the ring and out of the ring was similar to the spirit of our city: a great, tough actor," Healy said. "We applauded his great courage and fighting spirit, and we're certainly going to miss him."

Gatti's Brazilian wife, Amanda Rodrigues, has been accused of strangling him with a purse strap while he slept. A coroner's report in Brazil indicated that Gatti died of asphyxiation after his body was "suspended and hanged," which authorities said opens the possibility he could have committed suicide.

His family has expressed disbelief at that scenario, maintaining Gatti would never have taken his own life. Today, his brother Joe Gotti, 42, of Wyckoff said it was also hard to fathom a professional athlete "born with punching power" could be murdered in such a way.

"I cannot believe a woman could do that," Joe Gatti said, shaking his head as he stood outside the church.

While greeting well-wishers, he described his brother as a devoted father and good-natured prankster. In a movie theater, Arturo Gatti would be the first to throw popcorn, his brother recalled.

"In the ring, he was a different person. He had to take care of business," Joe Gatti said. "Outside, he joked around. And he kept me young."

After the service, a letter signed in capital letters by Sofia was placed before the altar. It read, "The beautiful butterflies that you got me the day I was born are mounted on my wall forever. You drove for hours to get those for me the day I was born. You always wanted my room decorated in butterflies, and that's how I'll keep it. I will never forget you."

A "final bell" was rung for Gatti 9 times at today's service -- not 10, since he'll never be knocked out, fellow boxers said.

Gatti is expected to be inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame on Nov. 12.